St Joseph’s Urdu-medium School and Boarding Establishment opened for locals in
the same complex

1843

British troops move to Ambala Cantonment from the "malarious" Frontier Station in Karnal

1848

1848

Holy Redeemer Church - first Catholic Church built by Fr Venance O.F.M. Cap. of Delhi

1885

1885

Ambala European Catholic population numbers 340 and Indian Catholics, 20. A two-room Soldiers’ Club built north of the Church, later collapses, and is rebuilt as Dispensary and Reading-Room.

1880-1884

Lord Ripon, the only Catholic Viceroy of India visits Holy Redeemer Church en route from Calcutta to Simla, accompanied by his Chaplain, Fr Henry Kerr S.J.

1890

1890

Priest’s residence burns down, is rebuilt - existing today

1893

1893

Mother St Lucie, Provincial Superior, Congregation of Jesus and Mary, India expresses the need of procuring a House in Ambala to serve as Rest-House and Winter Residence for old, ailing Sisters of Simla The Pioneers were M St Gabriel Hayes, M St Agatha Dundon and M Immaculata Dwyer

School closes in 1901

1902

1902

Construction of new Church building begins - existing today

1908

1908

The 121, Staff Road, Ambala Cantonment. Property consisting of a cottage with outhouses, stables and a fine garden is purchased. through Fr Julius, Vicar-General who has the power-of-attorney from M St Lucie, the Provincial Superior of India

Convent of Jesus Mary School is opened at the request of Fr Julius, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Agra, then under Most Rev Gentili, to whose Archdiocese, Ambala then belonged. The first pupil is Albert Mortimer, son of Mr Connaught Ranger, a Catholic.The school strength is from 6 to 27 children from the families of Army personnel

1910

31st January, 1910

The Convent Chapel is blessed and the holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered
by Fr Julius. Some soldiers join the Community

February, 1910

The School strength is 40 pupils

1914 - 1921

1914

The School is under the aegis of an excellent educationist, M St Colette Cournane

1916

M St Celestine Tarleton replaces M St Colette

1914-1918

World War I

1919

The military authorities request that our School be transferred to "Clonmel Cottage" in Kasauli for the summer months because the political situation required that the children be evacuated to the Simla hills.

1921

School closes for a short period for lack of pupils

1929

1929

School closes

December

School reopens as a permanent Day School

1930 - 1933

1930

School closes

1933

Mother St Borgia, Superior General of the Congregation, Rome, visits the School and decides to close it and dispose of the property